Man To Be Charged For Giving False Information To Public Servant

The Police will be charging a 42-year-old man in court on 5 October 2018 with giving information which he knows to be false to a public servant, an offence under Section 182 of the Penal Code.

On 24 July 2005, the Police were alerted by the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) to an email from an unknown sender, stating that there would be a terrorist attack taking place on Singapore’s 40thNational Day Parade. Police investigations revealed that the email was sent from overseas, and the identity of the suspect was subsequently established. On 26 May 2018, the suspect flew into Singapore from London, and was arrested at Changi Airport. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspect was believed to have sent the false information of a terrorist attack to MICA to cause unnecessary alarm, so that resources would be deployed to look into the information.

Anyone convicted of the offence of giving any information which he or she knows to be false to a public servant under Section 182 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to $5,000, or with both.

The Police would like to remind the public that Police resources could have been put to better use in dealing with real crimes and emergencies than investigating into false reports or false information. Those who lodge false Police reports or provide false information will face serious consequences under the law.